Monday, January 11, 2010

I get compliments all the time for my skin and asked what my skincare routine is. So I thought I would share my personal skincare tips for during the Winter Season.

Do keep in mind, these are my tips that I follow and the products I mention is what works best for me and my skin type. All skin types vary. During the fall and winter season I tend to have normal to dry skin and during the spring and summer season I have normal to oily skin. So products that work for me might not work for everyone.

1.) Stay HYDRATED.This must be the #1 tip during all seasons. You must at all times stay hydrated and drink LOTS of water! Staying hydrated keeps your skin moisturized and keeps your system clean resulting to youthful looking skin. Did you know the main reason for migraines and headaches is dehydration? Your body consists of 60% of water weight and everyday we lose that whenever we sweat and urinate. But how much water is recommended for us to drink? The formula I was taught by a trainer at the gym was to take your weight by pounds, divide that by 2, and the number you come up with is the number of ounces you are required to drink. So for example: If you weigh 140 pounds, divide that number by 2 which is 70...that means you are required to drink 70 ounces of water a day if you weigh 140 pounds. Or you can simply just stick to the normal rule of thumb, which is an average of 8 glasses of water a day.

2.) Exfoliate. It's very important to keep your face and body exfoliated at all times removing any dead skin which then allows your skin to absorb oxgen. Did you know that the dust accumulated in your house is partially from dead skin? Do keep in mind, when I say exfoliate, keep away from harsh products that are too abrasive for the skin. You want a light exfoliation product, not something that is going to irritate your skin. Personally, I like to use 2 different kinds of products to exfoliate which is very light and soothing to my skin. I keep the Aveeno Daily Scrub by my sink for when I wash my face every morning and I keep the Oil of Olay Regenerist Pore Scrub in the shower for when I wash my face at night when I shower. The Aveeno product that I use is a daily scrub which is very fine and light. But if you are using something else, you are only recommended to exfoliate 2-3 times a week. If you have Acne, exfoliating may cause irritation...so please check with your dermatologist to see what product is best for you.

3.) Moisturize. After exfoliating, it's important to lock in the moisture with a good moisturizer. If you have dry skin, try using an oil-based moisturizer. If you have oily skin, then use a non-oily based moisturizer. For me, during the winter, I tend to have normal to dry skin so I like to use Oil of Olay's Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer which also has SPF 15. Then, during the spring and summer when my skin feels normal to oily, I switch over to Oil of Olay's Deep Hydration Cream....I love this stuff because it goes on as cream and dries to a silky powder finish. If there is one thing that I hate about moisturizers...it's when it makes your skin feel like it's drenched in oil.

4.) Sunscreen.Sunscreen is so important and it's not meant to be worn ONLY for the summer, but for everyday use. It protects your skin premature aging but also from skin cancer. It's important to invest in daily moisturizers that contain SPF (such as the moisturizers I mentioned in #3), but if your moisturizer does not contain SPF, then purchase one that is suitable for your skin.

5.) Don't Lick Your Lips.If you don't want chapped lips, then stop licking your lips! Certain enzymes present in saliva (normally used for digestion) irritate the lips, and the evaporation of the water in saliva saps moisture from them. Also, did you know that chapped lips is also a sign of dehydration?

6.) Lip Treatment.If you already have chapped lips, I must recommend the Neosporin Lip Treatment. This product has worked wonders for me and you notice a tremendous difference within 20 minutes of using it. I mean, if Neosporin ointment works miracles for wounds and scars, what more for your chapped lips? I suggest using the products specified for your lips though. It's not something you need daily but only suggested for when you lips are dry and chapped. You can find this at any drug store. I found mine at CVS next to the cough drops.

7.) Exfoliate your lips. Want to prevent dry chapped lips? Exfoliate them daily. This is an old remedy my mom taught me when I was young which I've been doing for years. After I brush my teeth, I exfoliate my lips with my wet toothbrush. At first, I didn't think it actually worked. But I noticed that it worked once I STOPPED exfoliating my lips and noticed that they started to chap. Not only is this a cheap and easy home remedy to keeping your lips smooth, but the exfoliation process allows the blood to rush to the skin making your lips nice and pinky without the use of lipstick.

8.) Lip Balm.After exfoliating your lips, soothe your skin with your favorite lip balm. I like using Soft Lips Lip Balm because it really works for me because it's long lasting, it smells great, keeps my lips ultra soft and most importantly, it also has SPF 20 which is definitely a plus.

9.) Scarves. Not only are scarves a great fashion statement which is definitely a staple to your wardrobe, it keeps your neck warm and it can also help protect your skin. Just wrap the scarf around your face to shield against those sometimes brutal winds. You don't want your beautiful skin to suffer wind burn. Trust me, it's painful. If you're feeling crafty this season, learn to knit or crochet and make your own scarf. There are plenty of tutorials online that teach you how. Or, ask someone or your grandmother to teach you. Last year my best friend Joann and I spent a few hours together knitting scarves together which was so much fun and definitely a bonding moment for us as we just laughed and chatted the entire way through.

10.) Smile more.Smiling is a gift and a health benefit to us all. It stimulates longevity, lifts your face making you appear younger, reduces stress (which causes us to look tired, worn down, develop premature wrinkles), boosts your immune system. Did you know that studies have shown (stated by Professor Christopher Peterson Ph.D of The University of Michigan) that optimistic people who smile more have a stronger immune system and fight illnesses better than those who are pessimistic? Reason being is optimistic people think positively. It also appears that people who are optimistic are more likely to take care of themselves, which may be another reason why they tend to be healthier and smile more.

Have a skincare tip during the winter season that you would like to share? Leave me a comment and share your tips. I'm always opened to trying something new.

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Welcome To My Channel

Hey everyone, this is Arlene also known as "QueenLeilani". I get asked a lot where I got the name QueenLeilani from. It was a name given to me from my Kumu (Hawaiian Dance teacher).I'm a sunny California beach lovin' girl who's decided to pack her bags and make the biggest move of her life, and that is toNew York City.I decided to capture my journey through this blog as my way to keep my family and friends posted on my status. I will miss them very much! I also created this blog as a an outlet to channel my my love of makeup, fashion, hair and music...everything artistic and things that are of interest to me as well. I hope you enjoy your journey here.